Data Driverby David Ramel

Data Devs Demand Local Access in Windows Store Apps

Stop me if you've heard this one: Microsoft introduces a new technology and developers complain about lack of local database access.

Yes, it happened last year with Windows Phone. And Microsoft responded with SQL Server Compact Edition in its "Mango" update.

Now it's happening with Windows 8. "We should at least have the ability to connect to an embedded database like the one they added to the WP7 Mango update," said one developer on the customer feedback site for Visual Studio. This comment was under a heading of "Make System.Data available to Metro style apps," with 163 votes as of this writing. But there are plenty more likewise sentiments around the Web:

"I personally would have liked to have seen a desktop Metro app that could connect to a SQL Express Database for instance but it's not currently in the cards without jumping through hoops," said a reader on stackoverflow.com.

"I'm stunned to find out that there is no way [to communicate with *any* SQL Server instance]--how are people meant to build LoB apps if they can't communicate with their databases?" asked a reader on a Microsoft forum site.

"WinRT is moving in the *wrong* direction by *removing* the System.Data namespace," said a reader on itwriting.com.

Well, you get the idea.

Basically, in your Windows Store (formerly called Metro) apps, you get your database access via the cloud/network/service. But some developers complained about that model, citing intermittent connectivity problems and the like.

And there are some options for local access. For example, IndexedDB "provides Metro style apps using JavaScript with a way to easily store key-value pairs in a database."

And for non-JavaScript apps, there are a few other file-based options for local storage. You can also check out "siaqodb--local database for Metro style apps." And the Windows Dev Center lists some "data access and storage APIs [that] are supported for developing Metro style apps."

Those options certainly aren't on par with SQL Server, of course. As Microsoft's Rob Caplan explained on a forum posting, "There aren't any SQL-like databases provided in-box, but you can use a 3rd party database such as SQLite."

Indeed, SQLite seems to be the most popular option. Tim Heuer has written extensively on how to use it for Windows Store apps. Some developers worried about passing Windows Store muster with apps built with SQLite, but Heuer reported in June that, "Yes, SQLite will pass store certification as long as compiled correctly. The current binaries on the SQLite site aren't the ones built for WinRT, but you can build it yourself and use it." And that same month, the SQLite site reported "SQLite version 3.7.13 adds support for WinRT and metro style applications for Microsoft Windows 8."

So that's probably your best workaround for right now. But stay tuned. As one stackoverflow.com reader said: "an embedded Microsoft SQL CE is not supported. There has been no announcement yet as to its support--but like Windows Phone, we can only assume this support is in the pipeline."

What do you think? Is this a big problem? Do you know of other workarounds? Should data developers just be patient and wait for a "Mango"-like update to Windows 8? Comment here or drop me a line.